Increasing attention has been given to men’s experiences as victims of intimate partner violence in the Western world, mostly in quantitative research, within different research fields. The aim of this research paper is to explore men’sspecific experiences of intimate partner violence in heterosexual relationships in a Swedish context, through a gender perspective and with a qualitative research approach. The paper begins by briefly mentioning key findings in existing quantitative and qualitative research, focusing on Sweden. Additionally, areas of divergence with regard to definitions and differing research approaches are discussed. The theoretical framework builds upon theories of patterns of intimate partner violence and constructions of masculinities. In the five narratives representing the primary data of the study, varying experiences of psychological and physical violence and views on gender relations and masculinities are expressed. Some key elements are identified in the narratives and these are analyzed in relation to prior research findings/theoretical framework. Prior research findings, as well as theoretical suppositions regarding men as victims of intimate partner violence in heterosexual relationships as either unthinkable or stigmatizing, are manifested also in the narratives.

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